The Sparkle Box: A More Meaningful Christmas {Plus a Giveaway}

October 27, 2012

Emma found the box on my desk.

Is there something inside?

What is it?

Is it for me?

She was fascinated by the sparkle box, just like Sam in the book The Sparkle Box.

Sam is so excited about Christmas! He’s thinking about his Christmas list, looking forward to holiday parties, and puzzling over one very mysterious gift: a sparkly box sitting on the mantel. In the midst of the festivities, Sam and his family participate in various acts of kindness to others.

On Christmas morning, when Sam finally opens the Sparkle Box, he finds only slips of paper that record the family’s good deeds. Sam’s mom explains that the things that they’ve been doing are, in fact, a gift for Jesus, for Jesus said that whatever we do for those in need, we do for Him.

We read The Sparkle Box as a family last night. Emma was captivated by the story. After some discussion, she understood the idea that anything we do for ‘the least of these’ we do for Jesus.

Today we dropped off some food for the food pantry. We had a chance to talk about how something like that is helping someone else but it’s also for Jesus. She’s starting to make that connection.

This Christmas we’ll be keeping our own sparkle box (that came with the book!) front and center. We’ll add our own slips of paper describing things that we’ve done to help others. On Christmas morning we’ll recap them as our way of saying Happy Birthday Jesus.

Want to join us?

You can purchase The Sparkle Box book here. It comes with a fold-out sparkle box that I thought was both pretty and sturdy. Or you could make your own sparkle box.

One Saving & Giving reader will win a copy of The Sparkle Box.

To enter, leave a comment on this post.

Entries will remain open until Sunday, November 4, 2012 at 9 p.m. EST. One winner will be randomly chosen. The winner will be emailed and will have 48 hours to respond. If there is no response, a new winner will be chosen.

Disclosure: I received a copy of The Sparkle Box in exchange for hosting this giveaway. All opinions – and the excitement about this new tradition! – are honest and my own.

Comments

We read a Christmas-themed book as a family every day in December up until Christmas morning. I would love to add this one to our “library” this year. It sounds fabulous…and perfect!
My 4 boys would love this, I do believe 🙂

What a beautiful book! I am going to bring up the idea with my youth group as well as us it at home! THANK YOU for sharing! Ordering my copy now, so if I win one I would donate it to the church library!

I think that this would be a great book to have for my grandkids, ages 7, 5, and 2. As grandparents, we love investing in our grandkids. The oldest one has already given her heart to Jesus. Thanks for doing the giveaway.

I am planning to do a children’s sermon pertaining to “The Sparkle Box”. I am going to give each child a box to take home. If win the giveaway I will donate to the our church libary so others can read the story.

“On Christmas morning, when Sam finally opens the Sparkle Box, he finds only slips of paper that record the family’s good deeds. Sam’s mom explains that the things that they’ve been doing are, in fact, a gift for Jesus, for Jesus said that whatever we do for those in need, we do for Him.”